BUSINESS ENGLISH

CLASSES
ICE-BREAKERS
1. My day in 3 words
Ask the students to describe a typical workday using only three words. Discuss
their choices and compare them to your own.

2. My first job
Ask students to write what their first job was, and 1 thing or important lesson
they learned from it. Students show their notes and discuss what they have
written.

3. What’s your expertise?

Each student shares one area of expertise they have (or something they
consider their “professional superpower”) and one area they want to improve.
This can lead to interesting discussions about each person's professional
journey.

4. Professional “Would you rather”

Pose “Would you rather” questions related to work, such as “Would you rather
manage a team or work independently?” Students discuss their choices and
reasoning. (see pages 3 and 4 for some more questions)

5. Virtual background sharing

Students choose a virtual background that represents their favourite hobby,
destination, or professional interest and explain their choice to the group.

6. One thing you didn’t know

Students share one surprising fact or unique aspect of their job or industry that
others might not know.
7. Fun ice-breaking discussion questions.
Ask fun and engaging ice-breaking questions that will spark conversation and
help students get to know each other better in a relaxed and enjoyable way.
(see pages 5 and 6 for sample questions)

8. Guess the facts.

Write five numbers or vague pieces of information on the board or a shared
document. Each number/piece of information represents a specific fact about
you.
For example, you might write:
ice-cream (referring to your favourite food)
3 (referring to the number of languages you speak)
Poland (referring to the last country you visited)

Inform the students that each number/piece of information corresponds to a

specific fact about you. They need to ask questions to figure out what each
number or piece of information represents.

Students begin asking questions to deduce what each number/piece of

information refers to.

For example, for the number 3:

Students might ask: “How many pets do you have?”
Answer: No, that’s not the fact. I don’t have any pets.
How many languages do you speak?
Answer: That’s correct. I speak 3 languages.

Once students ask the correct questions, you can cross out that number/piece
of information.

After students have guessed everything about you, they prepare a few facts
about themselves and the rest of the classmates take turns to ask questions.
 A2-B1
WOULD YOU RATHER ...
Would you rather have a Would you rather have
Would you rather work boss who tells you more holiday days but
alone on a project or exactly what to do or a work longer hours
work in a team? boss who lets you during the week or have
choose how to work? shorter work hours but
fewer holiday days?

Would you rather have a

Would you rather work job with a lot of business Would you rather work
for a big international travel or a job where you in an open office or a
company or a small local always work from the private office?
company? same office?

Would you rather have a

Would you rather have a Would you rather do the
job where you learn
job you love with a low same tasks every day or
many new skills or a job
salary or a job you don't new and different tasks
where you use the skills
like with a high salary? every day?
you already have?

Would you rather work

in a team where people Would you rather
Would you rather be the
always share different communicate with your
best person on your
opinions, or a team team by email and
team at one specific skill
where it's easy to make a messages or by video
or be good at many
decision because calls and meetings?
different skills?
everyone thinks the
same?
 B2-C1
WOULD YOU RATHER ...
Would you rather have a
Would you rather have
Would you rather have manager who is very
more holiday days but
a job that requires hands-on and involved
work longer hours
frequent travel or one or one who gives you a
during the week or have
where you work from lot of autonomy and
shorter work hours but
home most of the time? trusts you to get the job
fewer holiday days?
done?

Would you rather work Would you rather have a

in a large company with job that requires you to Would you rather work
many resources or in a constantly learn new in a bustling open-plan
small startup with more skills or one that allows office or in a quiet,
flexibility but fewer you to master a few private office?
resources? skills deeply?

Would you rather have a

job that aligns perfectly
Would you rather have a Would you rather be
with your passions but is
job that requires a lot of known for being a team
less financially
problem-solving or one player or for being an
rewarding or a job that
that involves routine and independent problem
offers a great salary, but
consistency? solver?
you are not passionate
about?

Would you rather work

in a team where
everyone has a strong Would you rather be
Would you rather
opinion and debates involved in strategic
communicate mostly via
frequently or in a team planning or the day-to-
email or through face-
where everyone agrees day operations of your
to-face meetings?
but discussions are less company?
dynamic?
 IF YOU COULD... A2-B1

If you could speak three

If you could have an If you could change one
new languages
unlimited supply of 1 thing about your job,
perfectly, which would
thing, what would that what would it be?
you choose?
thing be?

If you could switch lives If you could time travel If you had to eat only
with any celebrity for a to any historical period, one type of cuisine for
day, who would it be and where would you go and the rest of your life, what
what would you do? what would you do? would it be?

If you could get a free If you could remove one

If you could only listen to ticket to any event household chore
one music genre for the (concert, sports game, (cleaning, cooking, etc.)
rest of your life, what etc.), what would you from your life forever,
would it be? choose? what would it be?

If you could ask your pet If you were given a

If you could only take
one question and get an million dollars to donate
three items with you to a
answer, what would you to a charity, which one
deserted island, what
ask? would you choose and
would they be and why?
why?
 IF YOU COULD... B2-C1

If you could possess an

unlimited resource (not If you were a superhero,
If you could instantly
money), what resource what would your
master any skill or talent,
would you choose to superpower be and
what would it be?
have, and why? why?

If you could possess one

If you could go back in personality trait that you
If you could change one
time and give one piece currently lack, what
thing about your city,
of advice to your 18- would it be and how
what would you change?
year-old self, what would it change your
would it be and why? life?

If you could eradicate

one global problem (e.g., If you could erase one
If you could have any
poverty, climate change, technology from
animal, real or imaginary,
a specific disease), which existence, which
as a pet, what would it
would you choose and invention would you
be and why?
why? delete and why?

If you could have a 30-

If you could be the CEO
If you could have any minute conversation
of any company for a
fictional character as a with any historical figure,
year, which company
mentor, who would it be who would it be and
would you choose and
and what would you what would you ask
what is the first change
want to learn? them?
you would implement?